The mulberry silk carrier is a rather amazing insect. It attracts attention not only with its attractive and original appearance, but also by a unique ability to create silk threads that are appreciated all over the world.
Description
Wild mulberry silk carrier is a butterfly from the Family “Real Silkopreye” family. Today this species is under threat of disappearance. The mulberry silk carp is one of the few domesticated winged insects. In his development, he passes 4 stages. It all starts with laying eggs. Larks appear from them mulberry worms. Over time, they pupate, turning into a butterfly.
The insect gained its fame thanks to the unique ability to weave cocoons that people use as raw materials to obtain real silk.
Appearance
In its appearance, a wild mulberry silk carrier resembles an ordinary butterfly with fragile wings. The antennae is combed. The wingspan varies within 25-37 mm. They have a light brown color. Often there is a drawing in the form of dark transverse stripes and lines on it. There is a pronounced disc.
On the front wings there is a small depression on the outer edge. Next to it is a pronounced lungstone stain of a brown shade.
The rear wings have dark brown color. The rear edge is narrowly darkened. On the bottom of the wings, the pattern is represented by external ligas, moonly spots on the front wings.
Where it lives
Wild silkworm has a fairly wide habitat. It can be found in the Far East. From the southern limits of the Korean peninsula, including China and Taiwan to the south of the Primorsky Territory.
For reference: you can see wild silkworm in the place where the cultivated shrub form of mulberry grows. It is a feed plant of caterpillars of this insect.
Slut of butterflies begins in June-September. They are not prone to migrations.
The caterpillar of the mulberry silkworm
What eats
Only a silkworm caterpillar feeds on. Her diet consists only of mulberry leaves. In captivity, larvae can eat salad leaves, dairy trees, ficuses. However, improper nutrition can harm the health of the caterpillar, which will negatively affect the quality of the cocoon.
For reference: today there is no universal feed for wild mulberry silkworm. Scientists are trying to find a replacement for mulberry leaves to diversify the diet of an insect. As a good alternative, they offer a planter plant.
The development of mulberry silkworm
Interesting Facts
The insect itself is quite interesting and unusual. For more than 500 years, scientists around the world have been actively studying it. This allowed them to identify several interesting facts:
- Dead dolls remaining after unwinding silk threads are quite valuable in their nutritional properties by a product consumed.
- The main enemies of the silkworm are parasite insects: hedgehogs or tachins. The female hedgehog laying eggs on the body or inside the silkworm. As a result, larvae develop in the silkworm body, which leads to its imminent death.
- The silkworm thread is a protein product that can dissolve under the influence of aggressive chemically cleaning agents.
- The female can live only 12 days, without doing a single wave of wings.
- Caterpillars are included in the list of drugs. They are infected with a special type of fungus and dried.
Currently, the number of wild mulberry silkworm has reached a critical level. This is due to a sharp reduction in the number of places for the growth of their fodder plant. Based on this, it is planned to create a guarded territory for silkworm, as well as its breeding in nurseries.
